


Love's a Gambit

by omnisan



Series: Seraph's Saga [2]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Drinking, F/M, Friendship, Implied Sexual Content, Romance, omnisan's choice, soft!Drifter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-29 19:13:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20801543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omnisan/pseuds/omnisan
Summary: "Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes, what doesn't kill me makes me want you more"





	Love's a Gambit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [breadisjelly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breadisjelly/gifts).

> My friend got me back into playing Destiny 2 (I stopped before any dlc came out) and basically binged through all the dlc in like two weeks AND just in time for Shadowkeep!! 
> 
> I always try to stay within the realm of logic and lore so don't yell at me if I messed anything up. I still have a lot of lore reading to do but boy am I in love with the Drifter :+)

"Welcome home, Seraph!" 

Beowulf stood with his arms outstretched and a massive smile on his face the second Seraph was transmatted at their predetermined meeting point. Although she was trying to play it off cool, it was hard for Seraph not to smile and eventually cracked. She ran over to hug her best friend for the first time in what seemed like years, but was really only a couple months. 

Like many hunters, Cayde's death affected her in such a way that she decided to leave for a while to clear her head and mend her heart. He was a very close friend to her and someone she looked up to. Losing someone is never easy. 

"What did I miss? I bet Zavala and Ikora will give me an earful for being gone so long." 

"It doesn't matter what they think. You had to do what you had to do," Beowulf said, then quickly changed the topic. "Have you settled back into your dorm yet?" 

"I came to see you first. Figured you wouldn't mind showing me around again." Seraph offered a weak smile. 

Beowulf offered his arm for her to hold on to. "Right this way, miss." 

Nothing in the tower had changed. Well, almost nothing. Colonel took up residence where Cayde was usually found, and memorials all over the tower were dedicated to him. Seraph had tried to escape the thought of him being gone with her own leave, but came back to be reminded of him at every corner. Zavala didn't help her mood, as he reprimanded her for being gone for so long. Beowulf tried to reason with him to save his friend from breaking all over again, but there was no way to silence Zavala. Seraph walked away with her head hung low. 

"We could go meet the Drifter." Beowulf suggested. 

"Maybe tomorrow. I'll see you later." Seraph said. Without another word, she walked away, heading in the direction of her dorm. 

Her room had stayed in the same way she left it; the bed was partially made, the only window was cracked slightly, and miscellaneous weapon parts and pieces cluttered her desk. She moved to the bathroom to peer into the mirror, only to find a face she was unfamiliar with. White hair extended far past her chest armor while jade colored eyes bore into her own skin. 

"Ghost, where did I leave my scissors?" 

"I hardly recognized you with shorter hair." Beowulf said, running up to Seraph at the postmaster.

"Figured it was time for a cut." She smiled. "So what's the plan today?" 

"I finished all my patrols for the day, so why not do some Gambit?" 

Seraph gave her friend a confused look. "Some what now?" 

"Oh right, you didn't talk to the Drifter yesterday." Beowulf looked around for a moment. "The Vanguard isn't a fan of him so it's best not to talk about it around here. Let's just go see him." 

Beowulf led Seraph through the tower, past the bazaar and down some forgotten corridor, zig zagging around until the hallway opened up to a man alone in a room. Strange and mysterious. He detected the movement of the two approaching and turned to face them.

"Back so soon, Guardian?" He asked, looking at Beowulf.

"Thought I'd bring a friend by to play some Gambit." 

The Drifter quickly looked to Seraph, mesmerized for a moment. "You got Gambit in your eyes, kid."

Seraph stared at the man. What the hell did that mean? She made a note to ask Beowulf later. 

"So you want to play my game, huh?" 

Seraph's eyes darted between the Drifter and her friend, hoping for more of an explanation on what this game was. It took a moment, but she got an answer. Gambit was a competitive game for the guardians in a race to kill more enemies while also summoning them to attack the opposing team until a Primeval arrives. The first team to kill theirs, wins. Simple. 

It didn't seem so out of the ordinary since many guardians liked to compete and have fun, especially after a busy period. It was a team bonding experience and a cool down from normal duties. The Drifter also suggested playing Gambit as a way to release pent up emotions. Beowulf made a point to nudge Seraph lightly when this was said, earning him a two second death glare. 

The Drifter smirked. "Well? How about some Gambit? You're just standing there."

"Come on Seraph, have some fun for once." 

She squinted her eyes in suspicion at what Beowulf was implying but agreed in the end. 

"That's what I like to hear, sister! Let's go!" 

"Wait, right now?" Seraph asked with wide eyes.

Even with a helmet on, Seraph could tell Beowulf was rolling his eyes at her. Of course he meant right now, they weren't doing anything else. 

"Kill enemies. Grab the motes they drop. Bank them. It's easy." 

Seraph pointed across the Derelict at four other guardians who were taunting her own team as they waited for the Drifter. "And them?" 

"They can invade us and we can invade them to slow progress. Just don't get killed." Beowulf explained.

Seraph nodded, repeating all the information in her head just so she wouldn't forget what to do. The Drifter finally walked up to the stage and flipped a jade coin. He smirked. "Looks like Fallen on the field! Prepare for transmat!" 

Seraph had killed her fair share of Fallen on her patrols and quests, so she figured this would be easy; or maybe just easier than she was expecting. Headshots on the little guys was easy, and before she knew it, she collected a fat stack of motes.

"Get to the bank, sister! Unleash hell on the enemy team!" 

This put her team in the lead for the moment, and was enough to open the portals for each team to invade. The greedier teammate took the opportunity before anyone else but didn't last long on the other side. Seraph continued the cycle until she traded kills with a Fallen Captain and had to be revived by her ghost. 

"Portal's up!" The drifter said over comms. 

While her teammates were busy fighting a high value target with an army of minions, Seraph took the portal and swapped to a sniper. 

"Thirty seconds before I pull you back. Knock 'em dead." 

Like the hunter she was, she moved quickly and quietly to find a perch to take aim. Two shots rang out and connected with the heads of her enemies before she was noticed. She mowed down the other two easily with a grenade and auto rifle combo. 

The Drifter rang out on all comms, "I'm sorry, were they sayin' somethin'?! 'Cuz they're DEAD NOW!" 

With a flash of light, Seraph was pulled back to her own team's arena. Beowulf caught up to her after taking down several Fallen to congratulate her, especially for someone so new to the game. This put their team even closer to winning. When the Primeval was summoned, everyone unleashed their best efforts to take the boss and mini bosses down. 

"Invader incoming!" The Drifter warned. 

"Shit!" Someone on the team shouted. 

"Where are they?" 

Seraph scouted the arena with trained eyes, trying to find what didn't belong. It wasn't hard to spot the enemy running full speed to the center where her teammates were surrounded by Fallen. After taking quick aim, Seraph shot a precisely timed bullet into the enemy guardian's head. 

"Invader's dead! Keep pushing!" 

With valiant effort, Seraph and her team were able to take down the Primeval first, which out them one step ahead of their opponents. Now they had to do it all over again in hopes that they could take down their Primeval first again to win the game. 

Just like the Drifter said before: Simple. 

Beowulf was the team player and congratulated everyone on a good game. Some guardians on the opposing team acted like sore losers for failing to win and got mad or stalked off in anger. It was just a game after all. 

"What a bunch of killjoys." Beowulf huffed, earning him a smile from Seraph. 

The sky was now dark, signaling they had been playing the Drifter's game for quite a while. Beowulf yawned to prove his point that nighttime is for sleeping. 

Unexpectedly, Seraph's ghost appeared by her side. "You're receiving a call on the com— hey, what are you doing!?" 

"Hey kid, it's me." The Drifter said. "Come find to me when you have a moment. I want to chat." 

"How did he hack the comms!?" The ghost asked. 

Beowulf looked between Seraph and the ghost. "What was that all about?" 

"The Drifter wants to talk with me I guess." 

"What about?" 

"No clue." Seraph shrugged.

"Want me to go with you?" 

She rolled her eyes. "No, dad, I will be fine going by myself," she joked. "Go get some sleep since I know that's what you want to do." 

"Alright, be careful then." 

"Okay Zavala." 

This made Beowulf groan in annoyance of his own for a moment before waving goodbye to Seraph. Seraph had a particular preference for the nighttime as there were fewer guardians about in the Tower, and on the battlefield it was easier for her to sneak around. Going down the stairs and through the corridors to the Drifter's hideout was much easier with fewer people around. In fact, the Drifter was all alone, flipping a jade coin as Seraph approached him.

"Hey hotshot. Good job out there today." 

"Thanks for the game." 

"For someone who's never played before, you were pretty damn good. Possibly one of the best." 

"I'm flattered. I just let my instincts take over." 

"You should play Gambit more. I can tell you're gonna go somewhere." The Drifter said. "It's in your eyes." 

Seraph found herself back in the Drifter's little alcove, just the two of them. He said nothing as he flipped his coin over and over and over. It was mesmerizing. 

"Heads or tails?" He finally asked.

"Heads." 

He flipped the coin high into the air just to catch it and slap it against the back of his hand. He looked at it and smirked. Seraph couldn't tell if that meant something good or bad. 

The Drifter came closer to where Seraph stood. "I ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are?" 

In the blink of an eye, literally, the Drifter met Seraph's lips with his own and pulled her closer to his body. 

She sat up, her heart beating fast. 

"Bad dream?" Her ghost asked. 

"A dream?" She asked aloud. 

Her ghost looked at her, just as confused as she was. She touched her lips. How could that have been a dream? It felt so real and she remembered it clearly. She replayed the thought of the Drifter kissing her again and her face flushed. She felt warm, too warm. Without a clue as to what time it was, she tore herself away from her bed and hopped into the shower. Not like she'd be able to sleep now. 

After that dream, Seraph needed to be distracted at all times so her mind wouldn't drift back to it. Either way, Zavala wanted her to go back on patrols and get back into the swing of things. She busied herself with travelling from planet to planet, aiding in whatever people needed her for. At the end of the day, she wore herself out to the point she barely made it to bed. She repeated this cycle for several days, and even went as far as ignoring her best friend. It was only a matter of time before Beowulf caught up to her and stopped her. 

"Seraph, what are you doing?" 

She stood near Banshee, checking out a weapon to fulfill a bounty he gave her. She wanted to be quick so she wouldn't have to stop and chat with anyone, but that didn't go as planned. 

"I have to get back to the EDZ. Sorry." Seraph began to walk away, hoping that would be the end of that conversation. It wasn't.

Beowulf grabbed her arm, "I don't think so. Zavala can stuff it. Anyone else can work on whatever he put you up to." For once, his helmet was off and Seraph could see a genuine look of concern on his face. "You're bothered by something." 

She was glad she left her helmet on. Her face wouldn't be able to give anything away. "Nothing." 

"Then why are you ignoring me? You're burning yourself out with all the work you're putting in." 

"I was gone for so long, I just— it's my duty." 

"There's definitely something more than that. I know you better than that." Beowulf said. 

Seraph gave in, but only an inch. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Is it about Cayde?"

"No, but maybe it would be better if it was." 

Beowulf wasn't satisfied, but knew when to stop pushing for answers that wouldn't come. Instead, he suggested something else. "Let's take your mind off it then. Why not play Gambit? You were really good." 

Seraph's eyes went wide. "No! I have to go, B." 

Seraph darted away before Beowulf could hold her back any longer. Gambit and the Drifter were the last things she wanted to do or see at the moment. 

Patrol after patrol, Seraph tired herself out. Even her ghost knew it and became concerned. 

"Seraph, maybe you should take a break from patrols. I can only heal you so much." 

She sighed. She was debating on taking up another patrol but it was already quite late. To add to her hesitation, her stomach growled. 

"Maybe you should eat something." Her ghost suggested. 

Seraph made her way to the Bazaar in the tower, hoping the ramen shop was still open. The neon lights gave her hope and she quickened her pace. She took the last seat on the end and ordered a bowl of spicy ramen. 

"Is this seat taken?" 

Seraph froze. She turned to see the Drifter gesturing at the seat next to her. Slowly she shook her head and he joined her, ordering a bowl for himself. 

"Haven't seen you around Gambit much." The Drifter commented. "Vanguard's got you busy, huh?" 

Seraph said nothing and slurped up some noodles.

"I didn't scare you now, did I?" 

She shook her head again.

"Cat got your tongue?" 

Her green eyes met his. Her heartbeat increased significantly in that moment. 

"Kinda." She finally admitted. 

"No need to feel nervous around me. I don't bite unless ya ask." 

A blush crept across Seraph's face and she nearly choked on the ramen. As she coughed, she felt a hand on her back that belonged to none other than the Drifter. He rubbed her back like a mother to her baby to help with Seraph's coughing, but it felt…different. It wasn't exactly the touch, but something deeper. She could feel his light and…something else. Something she couldn't explain. As quickly as she could, she stood up and tossed some Glimmer on the counter to pay for her meal before walking away still coughing a bit. 

"Don't forget about ol' Drifter and Gambit!" The Drifter called after her. 

Right now, Seraph wished she could. 

No amount of partols or adventures could keep Seraph busy long enough so she couldn't think about the Drifter. She was distracted and Beowulf noticed it. For the second time he suggested playing some Gambit, and to his surprise, Seraph agreed. 

To say the least, she was nervous. She had clearly been avoiding him, especially after she felt…whatever she felt in him. But she couldn't hide forever. She wanted answers. Making their way to his corner of the tower, they found other Guardians surrounding him. 

"Gambit?" Someone asked.

"Gambit." Beowulf confirmed.

From opposite ends of the crowd, Seraph caught the Drifter's eyes again, but only for a very brief moment before everyone in the room was transmat onto the Derelict. The games were about to begin. 

Yet again, Seraph proved herself to be quite good at taking lives while invading and taking out the enemy that invaded her team. This was significantly beneficial to her team's effort in taking down their Primeval and winning. It almost seemed too easy, but Seraph wasn't one to brag. They won my a massive margin.

Back at the Annex landing zone, some Guardians thanked each other for a good game and dispersed to do their own thing. Beowulf did his usual yawn and Seraph took her chance to get rid of him. 

"You can go get some rest, if you want. Don't worry about me." She smiled. 

"What are you going to do?" 

"Uh, I need to talk to Hawthorne." Seraph lied. 

"I'll walk you there." 

Seraph opened her mouth to disagree but couldn't say anything. The only noise between them was Beowulf's occasional yawn. Approaching the top of the stairs to the Bazaar, Seraph acted fast.

"Now go get some rest. Maybe we can do more Gambit tomorrow?" 

"You're actually going to not spend all day on patrols and adventures?" 

Seraph shook her head. "Go rest now!" 

Beowulf waved goodnight to her, and she waited until he was almost out of sight before returning down the stairs that they just came up from. Her heart raced, not only from the speed she moved at, but because of how she felt about the Drifter. Something about him attracted her to him. 

Seraph peered around the corner to see the Drifter talking to one other guardian, so she waited outside the room, leaning against the wall. It was at this point she realized she had no real plans on what she was going to say to him.

Eventually the guardian left and nodded to Seraph on their way out. Once again, she peered around the corner to confirm no one else was around but the Drifter. 

From the darkness in the hallway where Seraph stood, the Drifter spotted the pair of glowing green eyes looking at him and knew exactly who it was. "You're back." 

Seraph slinked into the room, less and less unsure of what to say with every step. She reached the same platform as him and just…stared at him. She was at a loss for words. Again. 

"Did you just come to stare at my gorgeous face or did you want something?" 

The blush made its way to her face again and there was no way to hide it this time. The Drifter smirked when he put the pieces together. 

"You've taken a liking to me." 

His statement made Seraph blush harder. It was almost torture. She closed her eyes. She thought if she didn't look at the Drifter, she might be able to calm down, but her dream flashed behind her eyelids like she was watching a movie. She quickly opened them before the dream Drifter kissed her, only to see the real Drifter even closer to her. 

"Are you going to kiss me?" Seraph blurted out like a fool.

The Drifter grinned, "Is that what you want?" 

"I… I…" 

The Drifter leaned in, but hovered only millimeters away from her face. Seraph's eyes had closed, but she could sense his proximity. They remained close without touching for a moment, until the Drifter began to pull away. But like a magnet with overwhelming power, Seraph closed the growing gap and made the move to kiss him. Thankfully to Seraph, it was reciprocated and he held her close. That's when she felt it again. That strange feeling emanating from him. She couldn't explain it. 

Suddenly the Drifter pulled away. "We shouldn't be doing this. Not here." 

He looked around. There was no one else but the two of them in his area. Not even a footstep could be heard in the hallway. The Drifter gestured for Seraph to follow him, and he guided her through the maze of hallways until he found what he was looking for: a small supply room. It was not a place Seraph would've wanted, but it was private enough for the two of them, just for a moment. 

His lips met hers with a need that equaled her own. Seraph grabbed onto his jacket with one hand and his shoulder with the other to bring their bodies closer. She wanted him unlike ever before. Seraph could tell he did too, but all he could do was grab at her armor. 

Out of nowhere, Seraph's ghost appeared behind the Drifter, which she barely noticed with half lidded eyes. Although it had no need to, it turned around and faced the wall to interrupt. "Uh, Zavala keeps trying to reach you. I've redirected him a few times but he's not too happy now." 

Seraph sighed and rested her head against the Drifter. Their fun and excitement was over. For now. 

"I can't believe that big-headed Titan would interrupt us like that." 

Seraph sighed again, "I can."

The Drifter looked into her eyes. He detected a hint of sadness, but her hunger for him was still there. "So… am I going to see you again?" 

"God, I hope so." 

"That's what I wanted to hear." He smiled. "Now go kick some ass. I'll see you around." 

The Drifter left her with a wink. He was a bad boy with a shiny toy and Seraph bought it. 

"You were out late. I saw you at the postmaster this morning." 

Beowulf met up with Seraph as usual, this time for a late afternoon lunch.

"Zavala needed me for something after Gambit last night." 

"What did Hawthorne need?" 

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, she uh, managed to get someone else for the job since Gambit took us a while." Seraph lied.

"Right." 

"Are you going to eat that?" Seraph asked, pointing to the remains on Beowulf's plate and completely missing his doubt.

"Have at it." 

"Do you want to do more Gambit later?" 

"Can't. I'll be heading to Nessus in a bit." 

Seraph groaned. I wasn't as much fun to team up with strangers, but it still brought her closer to the Drifter. Just the thought of him made a smile crept across her face.

"What's so funny?" 

"Nothing." 

Seraph's sudden mood swings concerned him. However, a good mood was not the time to bring things up. Instead, he stood up and patted her shoulder. "See ya later." 

Seraph headed to Gambit alone, and just in time to join a team. The Drifter smirked at her presence and she smiled back in their brief moment. On the Derelict, he warned them of Hive. "Let's make this quick. Drifter's hungry!" 

Only Seraph knew what that truly meant. She swore she saw him wink as the teams were being transmatted onto the field. 

To say she was thinking clearly was a lie. Seraph was still able to take down invaders and get a few kills on the enemy team, but not a full wipe. Both teams were playing extremely aggressively, and she found herself dying a few times this game. To put everyone on edge even more, both teams had won a round each. The last round determined the game's winner. 

"I'd step it up if I were you. Only one team can win." 

In the final round, everyone went hard. Seraph tried to clear her mind and focus, and managed to help her team pull out the win. The game was still very close. 

"Stick around, sister. I'm not done with you."

Seraph's heartbeat spiked when she realized the Drifter was talking only to her over the comms. She was transmatted back to the Derelict and waited. After a while, the Drifter finally appeared with his usual smile that said he was up to something.

"Seemed like you were a little distracted that game."

"I wonder why." Seraph rolled her eyes with a cheeky smile.

"Oh, I could think of a few reasons." He said, getting all up in her personal space. 

"Why don't you tell me one?" 

Without hesitation, the Drifter indulged in Seraph's peach-colored lips like he was a hungry beast. It explained his innuendo earlier. When he moved to her neck, his touch elicited soft gasps from Seraph. His beard tickled her in just a way that it gave her entire body goosebumps and a want for more. 

"The armor needs to go." He whispered in her ear, sending another wave of shivers through her body. 

She had hardly realized his hands were desperately trying to touch her, but were only met with large plates of armor. 

"Ghost, take my armor off." 

"I don't think—"

"The Drifter cut in, "Do it before I rip it off."

Her ghost removed the armor with a simple scan then disappeared back into her pocket. Seraph was free from her protective prison and finally she could feel the Drifter's hands snake around on her own body. 

"Mmm, is that a gun in your pocket or are you that excited already?" 

"That would actually be my gun, darlin'." The Drifter haphazardly tossed his gun aside and smiled into every kiss. "Is that another reason?" 

The blush returned to Seraph's face and answered his question. But she wasn't prepared for his next question.

"Do you want to?" 

It would be a lie to say it didn't cross her mind at some point, but she never thought it would happen so soon. But in this moment, everything felt right and she knew what she wanted. She wanted him.

"Yes." 

"Let's go somewhere more comfortable, then." 

With a strength Seraph didn't realize the Drifter had, he swiftly picked her up and walked with her to another part of the ship, squeezing her bottom and eliciting gasps that were hot against the skin of his neck. With their torsos this close, Seraph could feel the strange energy within him, drawing her closer. 

Something soft hit Seraph's head and she was brought back to the present. She was now in what seemed to be a small bedroom, with the Drifter standing over her, removing his own armor and robes. She sat up to remove her standard Guardian under-armor shirt to reveal another standard Guardian compression sports bra.

"Somebody's excited." The Drifter commented and took off another layer of his own.

"Would you rather I stop?" 

The Drifter resumed his position above her, "No, let me." 

It was a good thing they were the only two people on the Derelict.

Seraph sat up, the blanket covering her nude form fell and made her shiver. After blinking away sleep, she recalled she didn't go to bed in her dorm last night, but with the Drifter, his sleeping body next to her as proof. That much wasn't a dream. However, she had a strange dream about the darkness consuming her. Strangely, Seraph could still feel something emanating from him, something more than just his light. 

The Drifter slept on his stomach with an arm dangling off the side of his bed, presenting his bare back. Seraph dared to lightly trace the scars on his back to try to not wake him, but she felt the pull again. 

"You feel it too." The Drifter said, giving Seraph a small fright. 

"You're awake." 

He rolled over and looked up at her. "I can never get enough of those eyes." 

Seraph smiled, then returned to what he said. "What is it that I feel? It's more than just light." 

"That's the darkness, darlin'. My light has been intertwined with the darkness for years." He paused for a moment. "But you… your light. I can feel your light and it's so pure. I've never felt anyone's light so strongly as yours." 

Seraph leaned down to kiss him. They were like soulmates, but with light. It made sense to her now. 

"You look…" Beowulf was unsure how to properly say what he was sensing. "Brighter." 

"Brighter?" 

"I don't know. Something about you. It's different."

"You didn't like, change colors or anything right?" 

Seraph laughed. "I don't think that's possible for Awoken." 

Beowulf looked at her again for a moment before shaking his head. Maybe he was going crazy after all. Either way, he was glad to see Seraph in such a good mood. He hoped the adventure Zavala was sending them on wouldn't ruin it. 

"You up for some Gambit?" Seraph asked as she and Beowulf returned to the tower.

"After that mission? No thanks. Is Gambit even still going on this late?" 

"I'm sure if there's enough people interested." 

"I think you're addicted." 

Seraph made no comment. She was definitely addicted to something. She often made late night trips down to the Annex to go "play some Gambit" with the Drifter. So far, neither of them had been caught in the halls, and they hoped to keep it that way.

On a day off of patrols and adventures, Beowulf and Seraph met up for lunch together in the Bazaar. They picked one of the tables at the highest point, away from everyone else who were just too impatient to wait to eat. Generally speaking, they were alone. The other table's occupants had left a mess that was being cleaned by a Tower Frame. Oddly to Seraph, they sat in silence for a while, until Beowulf finally looked at her to say something. 

"Seraph, I know you and the Drifter are… seeing each other." 

Instantly, Seraph's face burned. Quietly, "How do you know that?"

"I followed you one night and saw you two, uh, necking."

"You followed me? What the hell, Beowulf!?" 

"You seemed like you were up to something, constantly making trips down to the Annex, and I was right." Beowulf said, matter-of-factly. "Are you two actually hooking up?" 

Seraph's face grew hotter. "That is none of your business." 

Both were silent for a while. Seraph wasn't sure what this would mean for her and the Drifter. If Beowulf had seen them, who else might've? Seraph now absentmindedly poked at her food, not so hungry anymore. Beowulf broke the silence again. 

"How long are you going to…you know." Beowulf implied her actions with the Drifter.

Seraph rolled her eyes. "He makes me feel good."

"He's using you." 

"You don't know that." Seraph narrowed her eyes and growled.

"And neither do you! There's a reason I sided with the Vanguard. That man is up to no good!" 

"Then why do you still play Gambit?"

"It's just a game, Seraph! Just like the Crucible, or Iron Banner. The game you're playing is a little more dangerous and I'm concerned."

Seraph had enough and stood up from the table. "You're not my father, so quit acting like one!"

"I'm your friend and I can still care about you!" 

"Why couldn't you just be supportive that I finally met someone that likes me in the same way I like them?" 

Before she allowed Beowulf to respond to her, she turned her back to him and stomped all the way down to the Drifter. Not for him, though.

"Put me in Gambit.

"Well hello to you too." He said, but got to business. "Still need two more to make up a team if you wanna go that badly." 

Seraph backed out of the room and came back three minutes later with two other guardians. "Gambit, now." 

Everyone was transmat onto the Derelict where the Drifter flipped his coin. "Cabal on the field." 

Seraph hated Cabal. Perfect. She found an ideal sniper perch, exploding the heads off Cabal after Cabal and watching her teammates bank the motes from the enemies she demolished. When the portal to invade the opposing team opened, she beat her teammates to it. 

"You know the drill." The Drifter said in her ear.

Seraph used her anger and turned it into something useful: overwhelming strength. She easily managed to wipe out the enemy team in a matter of seconds. 

"The executioner's come to town!" He laughed. "Remind me to never piss you off!"

That was putting it lightly. Seraph stole the portal from her teammates every single time to get a full team wipe. She was dominating. Because of this, the game ended fairly quickly, a perfect 2-0 match. Back at the Tower, everyone grumbled and dispersed, even people on her own team. 

Finally worn down after exhausting her anger out on strangers and Cabal, Seraph was back to normal. Normal, but with a dash of sadness now. Without caring if anyone saw them anymore, Seraph hugged the Drifter and buried her face within his robes. 

"Top of the leaderboard all game, hell, what am I saying? Top of the leaderboard of all time, and you come back like this? Most people would be celebrating." He hugged her back. "What's wrong, sister?" 

"I don't want to think about it right now." 

The Drifter hummed. "I might have something to help with that."

Alcohol was the answer. Lots and lots of alcohol. The Drifter had an assortment of whiskeys, vodkas, you name it. As a guardian, drinking wasn't something Seraph took part in because she needed a clear head to focus. Alcohol risked her own safety and others. But now she was in a position where she was inclined to drink away her problems, which was easy with the Drifter supplying her drink after drink after drink. He had clearly built up a tolerance over the years where Seraph had none, and found herself in a different situation. 

She slammed the glass on the table after downing its contents. "I need to do more." She mumbled. "The Cabal need to perish by my hand." 

"Slow down, slick." The Drifter smiled as he watched her motor skills deteriorate with every glass. 

Seraph paced around the room, her anger back in full force in a drunken induced rage, but the Drifter knew how to defuse her.

"Come here and sit down. Let's chill out first. You might've had a bit too much to drink." 

Seraph stared at him on wobbly feet before she walked over to him to sit on his lap and surprise him. She looked at him for a moment with hazy eyes.

"You know you're fuckin' cute." 

The Drifter couldn't help but laugh out loud. "You're cute too." 

Seraph ran her hands across his chest and tried very hard to remove his clothes with little success. When she moved her hands lower, the Drifter stopped her by taking her hand into his. 

"If you weren't drunk off your ass right now I'd have you right here, right now." He paused for a second to control his urges. "But I'm not going to take advantage of you." 

Seraph pouted but said nothing more. Instead, she leaned forward to rest her entire body against him. She knocked out. The Drifter sighed, he knew he probably should've cut her off a long time ago. Even as a dead weight, he managed to get her to his room to lay her down. 

Seraph stirred in her sleep the moment his hands left her. "Are you stealing my light?" 

"I'm not Ghaul." He chuckled, but Seraph had already fallen back asleep. "The most I wanna do is steal your heart."

When Seraph awoke, she was alone. Despite her pounding head, she realized she was in the Drifter's room, yet couldn't remember how she got there. She brought out her ghost for answers. 

"The Drifter wanted me to tell you he had to go host Gambit, otherwise he would've stayed with you. You drank too much last night." Seraph groaned. She was definitely feeling it today. "He left some meds for you, since I can't make your headache go away." 

The ghost stayed out, watching her intently. 

"What?" She finally asked.

"I think you should go talk to Beowulf." 

Seraph narrowed her eyes. "Why would I do that?" 

"He's your friend. Talk to him and he will understand." 

"I'll think about it. I have other, more important things to do today." She knew Zavala would have things to keep her busy today.

Finally rolling out of bed, Seraph walked around to try and find the Drifter before she left. She could hear his voice echoing through the ship as he informed a team of an incoming high value target. Seraph joined his side and he threw an arm around her, inviting her to watch the match. 

"How ya feelin' sister?" 

"Not too great." 

"It'll pass." He chuckled. 

They watched as one guardian took the newly opened portal to the other team's side. The Drifter warned them, but the invader still managed to get two kills. 

"Not as good as you." He nudged Seraph. 

Before long, Primevals were summoned and it was an all out effort to bring them down.

"You should get out of here before they come back." The Drifter said. "I'd love for ya to stay, but…" 

Seraph nodded in understanding. "I'll be back later?" 

"My door is always open to you." 

Seraph's headache managed to die down which allowed her to go out on her usual patrols and adventures. Alone. This became the new norm for her for a few consecutive days. Go patrol, debrief with Zavala, pick up dinner, meet with the Drifter, play some Gambit, go back to his place with him, wake up in his arms, repeat. After a few days without her best friend, she began to miss him and realized how childish she had acted. She knew she had to apologize to make things right. 

"What am I supposed to say to him? He probably hates me." Seraph frowned.

"Highly unlikely." Her ghost chimed in. "I can ask him if he'd like to meet you in person so you can talk." 

"I don't know if I'm ready for that." 

"Too late." 

Seraph looked at her ghost with fear. She knew sooner or later that tricky bastard would do something against her wishes. But perhaps it was for the better. 

"How much time do I have?" She asked frantically as she tried to think of some sort of grand speech or something. 

A knock on her dorm door made her go silent. She thought that maybe if the person on the other side didn't hear anything coming from her room, they'd go away. Her ghost knew her tactics and simply opened the door for her. Beowulf stood in the doorway, looking at her for permission to enter. 

"Hi." She said weakly. 

"Can I come in?" 

"Yeah." 

With Seraph taking up the only chair in her room and with no other options, Beowulf plunked himself down on her bed, just like he would've done before their argument. They sat in silence for a moment, taking in each other's presence. 

Her ghost hovered between them. "Okay I'll start." 

In the middle of the room and the only empty space, her ghost projected a perfect rendition of Seraph and the Drifter. They both watched as the Drifter carried Seraph to his bed and gently laid her down. 

Are you stealing my light?

I'm not Ghaul. The most I wanna do is steal your heart. 

Seraph blushed. It was strange for her to watch a projection of herself, let alone one of an intimate moment she didn't even remember. 

"Ghost, why?" She asked. 

"I told Beowulf I had something to show him to prove the Drifter wasn't quite the bad guy he seems to be." 

"I still think he's up to something. But if you and him really like each other…" Beowulf sighed. "I'm not going to get in your way. I want you to be happy. And I'm sorry." 

"I'm sorry too, B." 

Beowulf opened his arms and Seraph met him with a hug. Their friendship was saved. 

"Can we go get ramen now and complain about Zavala?" 

"I thought you'd never ask." 

"Behind you." Seraph shot at a Vex Goblin and destroyed him, saving Beowulf. 

"Thank God for you. I have 15 motes."

"Get to the bank, then!" 

"But there's more enemies to kill." 

If Seraph had the time to facepalm, she would've, but she had to take off the shields of another Minotaur for her teammates to destroy him. 

"Your team has enough to summon a Primeval!" The Drifter rang out across their team's comms. 

"Let's hussle, people!" Seraph said. She wanted another win under her belt so the Drifter could brag about her. 

Her team was the first again to summon the Primeval and they targeted the envoys first. With them out of the way, it was easier to kill the Primeval and take home the win. 

"Do you guys wanna celebrate with us and get drinks?" A teammate asked when it was all over.

"Sure." Beowulf said for the both of them.

"Actually," Seraph began, "I already have plans." 

Like a disease, Beowulf caught on to Seraph's eye rolls and used it against her but she simply smiled. Nothing could prevent her from going back to the Derelict to have some fun of her own with the Drifter. She waved to her teammates and disappeared in transmat. 

"There's my killer." He said with his arms open. Seraph ran towards him with a smile until he could hug her and hold her close. "I'm not letting you go now." 

"I'm okay with that." She smiled. "I'm also okay with you stealing my heart too." 

He narrowed his eyes. "How do you know about that?" 

"My ghost told me." 

"This is why I can't trust 'em." He shook his head. "I'll only trust you, no one else." 

Seraph looked at him with hopeful eyes, "Would you maybe also want to be a one Guardian kind of guy? With me?" 

The Drifter looked perplexed. "I've lived thousands of years and have never met someone like you. Are you sure you wanna spend the rest of eternity with someone like me? Might not be easy."

"I'll take my chances." Seraph winked. 

"You're in it for the long haul now."


End file.
